The Midas Touch

According to Greek Mythology, The Greeks’ lives were profoundly influenced by their myths and legends, their customs and traditions were told through these stories, but they also delivered morals and messages. The story of King Midas and his golden touch would have taught to Greeks not to be greedy, but to be grateful instead. The Greeks were very loyal to their Gods and Goddesses and frequently featured them in their myths. Gold! The word and the prospect of wealth have been the causes of murder and mayhem, wars and unrelenting fascination for as long as history has been recorded. Gold is so valuable that it is synonymous with wealth. One person that we could associate this to is King Midas.

The Myth

Midas was a king of great fortune who ruled the country of Phrygia, in Asia Minor. He had everything a king could wish for. He lived in luxury in a magnificent castle. He shared his life of abundance with his beautiful daughter. Even though he was very wealthy, Midas thought that gold provided his greatest happiness. One day, Dionyssus, the god of wine and revelry, passed through the kingdom of Midas. One of his companions, a satyr named Silenus, got delayed along the way. Silenus got tired and decided to take a nap in the famous rose gardens surrounding the palace of King Midas. There, he was found by the king, who recognized him instantly and invited him to spend a few days at his palace. After that, Midas took him to Dionyssus. The god of celebration, very grateful to Midas for his kindness, promised Midas to satisfy any wish of him. Midas thought for a while and then he said: I hope that everything I touch becomes gold. Dionyssus warned the king to think well about his wish, but Midas was positive. Dionyssus could do nothing else and promised the king that from that following day everything he touched would turn into gold. The next day, Midas, woke up eager to see if his wish would become true. He extended his arm touching a small table that immediately turned into gold. He then touched a chair, the carpet, the door, his bathtub, a table and so he kept on running in his madness all over his palace until he got exhausted and happy at the same time! He sat at the table to have breakfast and took a rose between his hands to smell its fragrance. When he touched it, the rose became gold. Without even thinking, he ate a grape, but it also turned into gold. The same happened with a slice of bread and a glass of water. Suddenly, he started to sense fear. Despaired and fearful, he raised his arms and prayed to Dionyssus to take this curse from him.

Origin and its meaning

Midas was a mythical king of Phrygia who was famous for his ability to change anything that he touched into solid gold. This came to be called the golden touch, or the Midas touch.

Nowadays, we could grasp the meaning of certain words by reading it between the lines. By having the literal and figuratively meaning. Literally and Mythology, ‘Midas touch’ means the ability to turn everything one touches into gold while idiomatically or figuratively speaking, ‘Midas Touch’ means the capacity to gain success or financial reward from one’s actions. Nowadays, people often refers ‘Midas Touch’ as means to an ability to be successful, make and manage large amounts of money. So, if you want your pot of gold, need the Midas touch.

In the United States, IRA or Individual Retirement Account is a form of “individual retirement plan”. It is provided by many financial institutions that provide tax advantages for retirement savings. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) approves select precious metals and forms of bullion for IRAs. These include gold, silver, platinum and palladium bars and coin types. With a precious metals IRA, you can now transform your retirement investment into a tax-deferred asset. As of 2009, over a 12 year period, gold investments for IRA funds have increased in value 30-fold over traditional investments.

Gold IRA

A gold IRA or precious metals IRA is an IRA in which physical gold or other approved precious metals are held in custody for the benefit of the IRA account owner. It functions the same as a regular IRA, only instead of holding paper assets, it holds physical bullion coins or bars.

IRA Approved Silver.

IRAs offer a unique advantage to silver investors. This includes investment in physical silver bullion while gaining access to certain tax advantages.

Factors use to use when choosing an IRA company

1.Reputation.

You need to work with a company that has proven to deliver results in spite of the volatility of the market. Determine how long they have been in the business, how well they are with customer service and their accreditation by market watchdogs such as the BBB, Ripoffreport.com, Trustlink and the Business Consumer Alliance.

2. Policies and Fees.

Be aware of the fees and policies that will be applied by the company that you will choose. Understand the program that they are offering and if this program will suit your needs, and if there are unnecessary fees that they will charge. This may be confusing for you at first so you need to work with a company that has people who can guide you through the process.

3. Flexibility and History

The company should have a variety of investment options and their policies should address all your needs. You should also take into account the company’s market experience and their willingness to help you grow your investment.

4. Buyback Program

For you to capitalize on your gains and investment, the company should offer a buyback program that allows you to resale your metals at the current spot price of the metal

5.Storage Safety
One of the most important component, but often overlooked, in decision-making when choosing your custodian is safety storage. You want to make sure you go with a company that offers several storage locations, both national and overseas, as well as segregated storage.

IRA Companies and Bullion Dealers

It is important to decide which Precious Metals IRA company to work with. Some companies have a better track record than others, so this is definitely not one of the decisions to take lightly. Some have even been accused of fraud!

While some companies sell the metals, others handle the entire process (including dealing with your IRA custodian and providing storage).

Authority review boards such as the BBB, BCA, TrustLink (and others) have posted recent ratings (June 2016) of each company. So here is a brief summary of comparison of Top 10 Precious Metals IRA companies that will help you make an enlightened decision.

A good way to look at starting a detailing business or any business is to look first at your experiences, both skill and business wise. There are a lot of business opportunities out there and one main topic is the auto detailing business. In every start-up business a person makes, there will always be the pride and satisfaction of being your own boss and having your own business, right?

Detailing cars as a profession is hard work. As you know, auto detailing is the performance of thorough cleaning, restoration, and finishing of an automobile, both inside and out, to produce a show-quality level of detail. If that is interesting to you, then auto detailing can be very rewarding. There is a lot of things involved (this includes a lot of greases) and the work is demanding if you succeed.

Step 1: Proper location and acquire local permits. Rent a facility for your business operations that has an adequate water supply, drainage and ventilation. You may check with the authorities in the area or in the local government for fees, local permits, licenses or any requirements needed to start your own business.

Step 2: Get Experience. It is crucial to have lots of experience detailing vehicles, especially before you start car detailing for wealthy individuals with very expensive cars. Keeping your own car in great shape is a good advertisement. Get more experience by detailing your friends’ and family members’ cars. You can start with a few people who trust you and give them a very low, discounted rate. You may use these as your testimonials and references.

Step 3: Invest in the right tools and equipment. Buy cleaning chemicals from a supplier or auto detailing supply company, including car wax, window, exterior, interior, wheel, tire and carpet cleaners. Also, you have to purchase cleaning tools from a hardware store or auto detail supply company, including a vacuum, buffer, towels, window squeegees, buckets, brushes, sponges and plenty of cotton cleaning towels.

Step 4: Insurance. One factor for running an auto detailing business is having the right insurance. For you to have peace of mind about some liabilities – just in case for possible damage to a customer property, you have to ask your local insurance agent for options.

Step 5: Advertise and market your business. You may hand out some fliers, put some ads in newspapers or the most common nowadays is thru social media sites. People acquire information through social media sites. I think the ‘word of mouth’ is the best advertising. When they pull up to their friends/family/car club and their car is insane, they’re going to tell them about you. So, try to establish relationships with auto repair shops or other businesses that work with many car owners. If you’ve done great quality work, they’ll brag and give your contact info to them. The cars you detail will advertise for you.

Step 6: Charging for your services. For starters, you’ll have to charge less in order to get customers. Find out what other people in your area are charging to give you a starting off point.

Step 7: Have the best attitude. To succeed, you must have a great attitude. You must believe that you are the best and when it comes to work make sure to have a high quality.

Starting an auto detailing business from scratch may seem hard, it can actually become quite rewarding if it is done right. Remember these point system: Mobility- Convenient – Outstanding Results.

Are you looking for a business? Do you enjoy working with animals? Do you have the patience to give them thorough care? If your answer is ‘Yes’ then here’s a solution for you!

If you are new to self-employment and are passionate about animals, then a dog grooming business offers a relatively straightforward way to ‘get in the game’ and also a great way for you to combine that passion with a realistic career. No need to have a degree but of course, you may spend some time on training and put considerable effort into planning and advertising your business.

Groom to success. Pet grooming is an excellent way to turn your love of animals into a small business opportunity. If you are considering pampering pets for a living, here is a guide to starting your own pet grooming business:

To start a Pet Grooming business, you have to learn the INs and OUTs of the business.

Step 1: ENROLL IN A PET GROOMER TRAINING PROGRAM – You need to acquire necessary skills and for you to do that you have to enroll in a training program. Whatever form of training you pursue, you will likely follow a course that starts off with simple tasks such as shampooing a dog. As you gain more experience, you may acquire some useful skill set, as well as information on pet behavior and safety.

Step 2: ACQUIRE A CERTIFICATION – One does not require certification to become a dog groomer. However, obtaining this via training from an accredited pet grooming institution will not only give you greater knowledge but this will also afford you the credibility, skills and confidence to better serve your furry clients. To be certified, you must pass a series of written and practical examinations.

Step 3: MARKETING AND BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONS – Anyone that runs a company has to think carefully about where they locate their business. This is because where you are located says a lot about you and your business. You need to check the accessibility – the impact on how it is easy for you to attract new customers. Also, there are tax and liability so you might take the consideration in getting a consultant or a lawyer, same goes with having an insurance for your business. Advertise your business. Depending on your advertising budget, you may use fliers, social media sites and to spread the word about your business. You may also visit local pet stores, pet supply stores and veterinary clinics to introduce yourself. Such businesses may offer referrals or allow you to leave advertising materials in their facilities.

Step 4: Purchase Supplies and Pricing rates – Purchase supplies and equipment for your pet grooming business. You may need a variety of grooming tables, tubs, dryers and cages. You may also need combs, brushes, scissors, clippers, shampoos and styling tools. When determining the prices for grooming services, it is wise to research the current rates in your area. It is also important to consider the breed of dog, the type of cut required, and the time it takes to complete the grooming service when establishing your rate. Offering a special discount rate to first-time visitors is another sure way to get new clients in the door

Pet services are the fastest growing sector of the pet industry. Dog grooming businesses should show continued profitability as owners continue to increase their spending across the board on care and services for their pets. Like any business, if you are not entirely dedicated to making it a success the whole exercise could amount to nothing more than a waste of your time. However, as much as you enjoy what you’re doing and are having fun, always take care of the business side too and you should grow and prosper from this very enjoyable industry. Start your business now and meet your future furry clients.